THE PLUM. 



Prunus domestica, L. Rosacece of Botanists. 



THE Plum is found in a wild state throughout the middle sections 

 of this country, but the original parent of the cultivated varieties is 

 supposed to have come from Asia Minor. The fact of production 

 in our States of many varieties esteemed among the best, attests 

 the adaptedness of both soil and climate. 



PROPAGATION By seed t The gathering, preserving, and planting 

 of the plum is the same as we have described under head of peaches, 

 to which, therefore, we refer the reader. Of the best varieties for 

 producing stocks on which to bud, any free-growing sorts may be 

 taken ; avoiding, except wanted for forming dwarf trees, those of 

 slow habit, and in all cases avoiding the damsons. The wild red or 

 yellow (P. Americana) is much used by many nurserymen, but 

 it should always be worked just at or rather below the collar. 

 Seedlings from it often answer to work the same season, and we 

 have seen them used with advantage as stocks for the peach. The 

 Chickasaw (P. chicasa) is used at the South, where it is a native. 

 New varieties have thus far been produced from chance seedlings ; 

 no person, to our knowledge, in this country, having exerted them 

 selves to the production of varieties with any special view to the 

 preserving of separate or combined characters. 



By Budding. The plum is generally and best propagated in its 

 varieties by budding. This should be performed in the month of 

 July. Strong stocks of free-growing sorts should be especially select 

 ed for inserting buds of such varieties as Green Gage, Purple Favor 

 ite, &c., &o. 



By Grafting. Where budding can be done, we should prefer 

 never to graft. But it not unfrequently happens among nursery 

 men, that owing to some causes buds fail, and this, too, when the 

 stocks if left until another budding season would become too large. 

 They may therefore be grafted with success and profit, by cutting 

 them off just at the collar, and grafting early in the month of March, 

 drawing the earth up around the graft, and leaving only one bud 

 out. Tan, bark, saw-dust, or other mulch should be placed on the 

 ground, and free-growing sorts, as Imperial Gage, Lombard, &c., 

 should only be used. Grafting on pieces of roots is sometimes 



(402) 



